This post comes on the back of http://rubyforge.org/forum/forum.php?thread_id=30389&forum_id=2919 where Larry Kluger is asking why we would use a licence like GPLv3 for the Ruby Spreadsheet. There are a few points noteworthy about this argument:
1. For a new project it does make sense to start with a GPLv3 Licence. Even Linus Torvalds would consider doing that. Spreadsheet is a totally new project started from 0.
2. Projects like OpenOffice.org or the Kernel are both HUGE projects in comparison to Spreadsheet. They come with thousands and millions of strings attached. These projects where started decades ago and at that time different licenses applied. They grew with the license that was doing it for them at the time they started.
3. In the 21st century Tivo, DRM and Patents play a much bigger role then they did in the 20th century.
4. GPLv3 is not perfect but it does make sense for a fresh project.
5. The author matters. Cut the developer some slack and give some code back to the community. If you do not want to do so, then just pay a small fee when somebody else does the coding for you.
The Ruby Spreadsheet 